Louis XIV's Mark Maigaard launches a new organization that mixes bands with nonprofits

The 39-year-old Poway High graduate drums for the locally-based rock band, Louis XIV. He’s gone on world tours, hung out with famous people and done all the crazy things rock stars do.

Lately, however, Maigaard’s been feeling generous. He recently launched a nonprofit called Sound Off Apparel that creates limited edition T-shirts for bands. The proceeds from the shirts go toward a charity of the band’s choice.

The project kicked off this month with local group Transfer and the Center for Community Solutions, an organization that works with domestic violence and sexual abuse education and prevention. T-shirts, designed by the band, can be purchased online (soundoffapparel.org).

Q: Please describe what you do.

A: Entrepreneur by day, bartender and musician by night. I was doing music for years with my band Louis XIV and started bartending in 2009 when we got off tour. I’m currently working at three different bars in town: Small Bar, Monkey Paw and The Station. In addition, I just launched a company called Sound Off Apparel, so needless to say I’m staying pretty busy these days.

Q: Why did you decide to get into the world of nonprofits?

A: My co-founder, Erin Goss, and I wanted to launch a project that integrated music with something that had a positive impact on our community. We’ve known a lot of bands that are passionate about different causes, but that didn’t always have the avenue to maximize their impact on the charity. So after some brainstorming, we came up with the idea to create a brand that would give bands a platform for giving back to the causes that they are connected to. So while we ourselves aren’t a nonprofit per se (currently we’re donating over 40 percent of profits from shirt sales), Sound Off Apparel is a brand designed to connect musicians and charities to raise maximum awareness and funds for worthy causes.

Q: Will you only be working with local bands?

A: As San Diegans we, of course, want to involve local bands and charities and see our work directly benefit our community. For example, our band right now, Transfer, is based in San Diego, and the charity Center for Community Solutions was founded in San Diego in 1969. However, it would also be amazing to be able to expand and one day have a global impact as well.

Q: How has your experience as a touring musician helped you with this new company?

A: Touring around the world really opens you up to all different types of music and people. I got to see the impact and change firsthand that music could have on people, and with Sound Off Apparel, I hope to take that one step further. Also, having been in the music industry for so long, I’ve had the opportunity to make some great contacts. I’ve gotten some great advice from musicians and other professionals within the industry and that guidance helped us put together the blueprint for Sound Off Apparel. Plus it feels great to get good feedback from your peers.

Q: For those who do not know, please name all the bands for which you’ve played.

A: First it was Dishwater, though I’ll be surprised if anyone remembers it! Next I was in Convoy for several years, then myself, and the guitarists, Brian Karscig and Jason Hill, moved on to do Louis XIV. Most recently I’ve been playing for fun in a band called Midnight Rivals.

Q: What was the best part about being in a commercially successful band?

A: Definitely getting to do some amazing worldwide tours. I got to play drums almost every night, which is one of my favorite things to do. Not many people get paid to do their favorite thing, so was that a very unique opportunity.

Q: What was the worst?

A: Probably backlash when it did occur. Unfortunately, when you become successful, there will always be a few people that call you sellouts, but our goal was just to make a living and keep doing what we loved, which was making music. Also, hanging out in airports gets old quickly.

Q: Your company makes exclusive band T-shirts: Do you have a favorite band or concert T-shirt?

A: The ones I wear the most are a Death Ray Davies T-shirt and a Rocket From the Crypt hoodie.

Q: What is something people would be surprised to find out about you?

A: Believe it or not, I left college to pursue Louis XIV and went back last year and finished my degree — SDSU alum right here!

Q: What are some of your favorite local bars?

A: Outside of where I work, I love grabbing a beer at The Whistle Stop and Hamilton’s for a casual evening. But if I’m going out for dinner too, it’s definitely Starlite.